Home is Where the Heart is (24 page)

Ugh! One person he hadn’t wanted to talk about tonight.

“If you ever need some time out from the simple life in Yellow Valley, then you know you’re always welcome to come and hang out in Miami for a few days. My place is always open to you,” Jordan offered to his friend, obviously knowing how small town living could take its toll on your personal life.

“Thanks, man,” Nick said with gratitude before downing the last few drops of beer and letting it drop to the ground below them where it made a loud shattering sound. “I’m sure I’ll fit right in with the Miami crowd.”

Nick chuckled at himself, lightening the current mood surrounding their conversation. His mouth formed a smile when he talked about his roots being an influential part on his life. He knew he looked every bit the stereotypical country boy wearing faded blue jeans, a plaid button down shirt, and dirty baseball cap. “Watch out—I may just take you up on that offer.”

“Anytime. There’s always a spare bed when you want to see what Miami has to offer. I’ll be happy to share my humble abode with you.”

Little did Jordan know a break away from Yellow Valley was exactly what Nick needed. He didn’t think it would’ve been this hard to get over his feelings for Gabby. He figured if he had just kept his feelings for Gabby secret then it would be easy enough to ignore them, a kind he had never experienced before. But now that he had declared his love for her and then Gabby rejected him, he needed to move on with his life, but living in here and running into her almost every day wasn’t allowing his feelings to disappear. He couldn’t move on with his life.

Both Jordan and Nick sat there for a few more minutes enjoying the view of their township from the top of the water tower. While the town they lived in sure looked picturesque from where they sat, their love lives were anything but.

“D
addy!” Cassie was in the bathroom and heard her son squeal in delight as she rushed around getting ready for her day at work.

Obviously, it meant Jordan was here to pick up Jake and take him to his play date with his best friend Caleb. Cassie was sure her son was looking forward to playing with Caleb today.

“Cass?” Jordan’s deep voice sounded from another part of the house, followed by chatter between him and Jake.

“I’m in my bathroom,” Cassie called back. She came out of her bathroom just as Jordan entered her bedroom, his lips curling into a smile at the sight in front of him. She literally took his breath away, even dressed in her standard work gear.

“You look pretty.”

Cassie blushed slightly at his compliment, feeling her cheeks go bright red. How did he still have the power to make her feel all gooey inside?

“Thanks,” she replied, returning his comment with a smile as she smoothed down the pink chef’s shirt she was wearing. “It’s kind of a big day. The new owner of the bakery is making an appearance there today. I need to make sure I look good enough to show them how dedicated I am as a baker and waitress.”

“Well, you look good—great! I’m sure you’ll make a good impression on your new boss.” Jordan’s eyes trailed away from Cassie toward her bedroom furniture and the way it was set up. This was the first time he was seeing this room with clear eyes. He had barely set foot inside here when Brielle had called the night he and Cassie slept together. He supposed it wasn’t any different than any other normal adult bedroom with a bed, dressing table, computer desk, and two doors leading off to a bathroom and walk-in wardrobe, but Jordan especially liked the pretty turquoise bedspread covering her bed, and pink flowers in a vase sitting on top of her dresser. It was girly and very Cassie.

“Thanks. I hope you’re right.” Cassie played with the hoop earrings in her ears as she tried hard to not make eye contact with Jordan. She couldn’t do it, and then fought hard with the urge to push him outside her bedroom. She didn’t want him to see inside these four walls, even though she knew there was no harm in just looking. It wasn’t as if seeing her bedroom would give Jordan the impression Cassie wanted him in here too. She couldn’t handle being with him. That one time had been a mistake Cassie was now paying for. Her head and her heart were telling her two different things, confusing the hell out of her.

Jake came bouncing into the bedroom, startling Cassie out of her thoughts, the smile on his face as big as the moon. Jake was always so eager and ecstatic to see his father, and she had to admit it brought tears to her eyes. She still couldn’t believe after all this time, and after everything that had happened between her and Jordan, the two of them could manage to put differences and feelings aside to parent their child together.

“I am right.” There was a sparkle in his eyes as he said it. “How could I not be right? You ooze awesomeness.”

Cassie was flattered by his words; it was as if he knew exactly what she needed to hear this morning.

She felt her cheeks go even redder than before, and the minimal amount of make-up she applied to her cheeks wasn’t doing anything to hide how much she was blushing.

Jordan’s focus soon changed to Jake, whisking him up into his muscular arms. Jake enfolded his small arms around his dad’s neck while they followed Cassie out of her bedroom and into the short foyer near the front door. She replaced her pink fluffy slippers with black ballet flats, and then continued into the kitchen, finishing off the remaining coffee left in her mug before placing it into the dishwasher.

Still carrying Jake, Jordan carefully placed him down onto a kitchen stool so that he was facing his mom, still wearing a smile on his face.

“So I’ve written down the address to Caleb’s house for you.” Cassie pointed at the notepad sitting on the counter. “You don’t need to stay there the entire time. Sierra knows you’re busy today. She’s cool with you dropping him Jake and then leaving.”

Cassie checked the time on the silver watch she was wearing on her wrist. “Shoot! I’ve got to go. I don’t want to be late meeting my new boss.”

She blew Jake a kiss in which he returned, and then she was out the door as Jordan called out to her, “Break a leg.”

But Jordan had a feeling her new boss wouldn’t be nearly as bad as Cassie was anticipating.

The morning had half passed and much to the dismay of Cassie and the other workers, the new owner hadn’t stopped by for a visit yet, leaving Cassie feeling very antsy about their drop in. His or her absence was doing nothing to calm her jittery nerves, wishing they would waltz through the door already just so she could stop feeling like her whole career was hanging on the line.

From where she was standing behind the front counter of the shop, Cassie couldn’t help but peer over at the door, watching the bells jingle when a customer came in, expecting it to be the new owner.

Cassie soon gave up wondering where they were, realizing it wasn’t getting her anywhere. She had a job to do, and it probably looked better if she was actually doing it when the person appeared so they could see how committed she was—although with the way she looked right now, with flour smeared across her apron and little bits of dough plastered in her hair, it was fairly obvious she had been busily working.

Soon, Cassie was getting lost in her baking as she hummed along to the words of a Lady Antebellum song playing in the background on the store’s sound system. She didn’t hear her coworker Ashley trying to get her attention until she was tapped her on the shoulder, shaking her out of her daydreams.

“He’s here.”

“Who’s here? Is it the new owner? Are you sure it’s him?” Cassie’s sky blue eyes were wide with anticipation as she brushed her hands on her apron, specks of flour floating to the floor as she rushed out the door heading for the front counter, but she didn’t quite make it that far.

Ashley followed behind her in a hustle, needing to get Cassie’s attention before she went any further. She grabbed her arm, pulling her back before she went through the pink swinging door. “No, he’s not here,” she said in a rush.

Jordan popped through the door leading to the back of the bakery.

“Jordan is,” Ashley mumbled.

“Jordan! What are you doing here?” Cassie was surprised by his appearance, and alarming questions popped into her head. Was something wrong? “Is Jake okay?”

She felt as though her heart was going to erupt out of her chest.

“Jake is fine. He’s playing with Caleb.”

“Oh, good.” Cassie’s nerves calmed down, her breathing returning to normal. “Wait, why are you here then?”

Jordan pushed his hands deep into the front pockets of his jeans, and he could almost feel the perspiration forming on his forehead.

He knew he needed to spill the beans; he just didn’t know how, whether or not she was going to like it, or how she would react to his news.

It was now or never. “The new owner—you’re looking at him.”

Cassie was speechless, which prompted Jordan to say something else.

“I bought Patty-Cake Bakery.”

Cassie couldn’t quite get her head around the fact that Jordan was telling her he owned the bakery she worked at. Did that make him her boss now?

“Oh, wow! Wait until I tell the other girls.”

Cassie forgot Ashley was standing right behind her. The enthusiasm in her voice sounded like she could break out in song at any moment. She brushed past Cassie and Jordan, heading toward the front part of the bakery.

“So, you’re the boss?” Cassie got straight to the point, folding her arms over her apron. She couldn’t move whether she wanted to or not; Jordan was standing in her way, obstructing her path to freedom, not that she wanted to.

“I wouldn’t say that. I want you to run it, and I would be like a silent partner.”

“You want me to run it?” Cassie couldn’t believe his words.

“I do. That’s why I bought the place. I did it for you. I knew you wouldn’t take my money, so this way I thought you couldn’t say no.”

“And what will you do?” Cassie probed.

“Nothing. It’s like I said—I’m the silent partner. I have my own career. This is your business.”

Cassie didn’t believe him. “Well, it’s very generous of you to buy the bakery for me, but you really don’t want anything in return?”

Jordan cocked one eyebrow. “Well, maybe I want one thing.”

“Of course you do. So what is it? What do you want?”

“It’s nothing too big or anything. I just want a date.”

“A date? With me?” Cassie sputtered with wide eyes.

“No, with one of your coworkers. Do you think you could hook me up with Ashley? She seems nice, and she’s pretty.” Jordan winked at Cassie, but he could see she wasn’t finding his jesting funny when she shoved him in his chest.

“That’s not funny, Jordan. You play football; you’re not a comedian. Don’t try and make jokes when you’re clearly not very good at it.”

“I’m kidding. Of course I want a date with you. There’s no one else I would rather go out with than you.” He extended his hand out, gently touching the side of Cassie’s face with a stroke as he pushed some hair out of her face that had escaped the hair net she was wearing.

Cassie brushed him off, refusing to be distracted by the more pressing matter.

“I...I can’t.”

She walked through to the front part of the shop as Jordan followed behind her.